Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area

John Dolan of www.johndolan.com is a superstar in the world of photography.

He has built a career in advertising, editorial and fine art photography over the past 30 years. He is the author of the book — The Perfect Imperfect, which has the foreword written by none other than Martha Stewart.

One of the testimonials I read online was by Jerry Seinfeld who said:

“John has photographed our family for 20 years. It is, to us, a priceless view of who we are and wouldn’t exist without his gifted shutter, lens and eye.”

He has photographed celebrities' weddings, including Will Smith, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, and so many more.

He says… Some photographers are directors. I’m a collector.

And that his target is 15 amazing photographs from a wedding.

He still shoots 70% film and believes weddings are too important to play it safe.

In this interview, John shares the secrets for success by balancing art, business, and authentic storytelling with your photography.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

The celebrities are different, but I think one of the skills I've learned over the years is how to get comfortable with people very quickly. It's part of our toolkit, and it's an amazing skill that where you skip the small talk and you get trusted. – John Dolan

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

I never look at my phone during a wedding. I don't look at shot lists. I don't look at timelines. I am so in tuned with what the couple is going through. I'm completely focused on them. And the wedding industry is always only shown this really narrow band of, you know, it's your best day ever. And I've always thought this is the widest number of emotions you'll feel in one day. And so that's, that's my guiding principle. – John Dolan

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours – to build a more successful photography business.

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what John shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

I really I run a very simple, not a mom-and-pop business, but a very streamlined business. My contracts are very simple. Because everything's based on trust, even with some of my celebrities, I never did NDAs because I said to them, “You can destroy me in a tweet. So you can trust me. I will not break our trust, because the downside risk is so big. A piece of paper is not going to, you know, scare me as much as your two thumbs.” – John Dolan

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask John or want to say thank you for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

If you show pictures that you love, that are made from your heart and that move yourself, move your spouse or your partner, then you're going to find those clients, especially when it's 10 or 15. That's all part of the same system that you're not trying to please the world. You're trying to please yourself, and then please those, find those 15 cool people. – John Dolan

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

Uncertainty is the most reliable thing in being freelance. That's the only thing I've learned for 30 years. I certainly could have run my business in a more professional way, but I never wanted to be professional. I wanted to be personal. – John Dolan

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

Here is the latest review, not for PhotoBizX, but for Alex Vita of Foreground Web, who delivered the recent SEO and UX training. 

★★★★★  Alex Vita is AMAZING!

Via an email from Wisconsin dog and equine photographer Jan Bezzo, in the USA on December 13th, 2024.

Join the upcoming masterclass, “AI-Powered Marketing for Photographers: Part 4 — Prepping for Less Work and More Money in 2025 with AI,” led by Brianna Shrader of Shy Heart Studios.

It's happening later this week, on December 19th, 2024, at 8:00 am AEDT via Zoom.

Here's what Brianna will be covering:

Early registrations will receive a USD$100 credit toward any current PhotoBizX course.

Secure your spot now for USD$197; note that the price increases to $397 after the live event.

If you cannot attend live, registering ensures access to the recording, course materials, prompts, and the standalone course at a 50% discount.

For more details and to register, visit: https://photobizx.com/ai4

John Dolan Website

John Dolan on Instagram

John Dolan: The Perfect Imperfect: The Wedding Photographs

You have to micro-target who you want to appeal to. If you really want to be unleashed with your photography, you have to show those unleashed pictures, and then the people will find you. – John Dolan

Thanks for listening, and a big thank you to John for sharing his amazing journey and ideas for building a photography career with passion and purpose. His honest approach to balancing creativity with a successful business and strong client relationships will hopefully inspire you to stay true to your style, build trust, and keep chasing your photography dreams.

I changed my business model, now, every wedding I take I have to love. I did a few weddings just for the money, and they destroyed me. They really crushed my soul. The pictures actually were beautiful and fake. So after that, I just try to make every couple who I meet really align with me, if I can, or try to find the that meeting point. – John Dolan

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon

The post 596: John Dolan – Balancing Art, Business, and Authentic Storytelling in Photography appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area

Claire Thomas www.clairethomasphotography.com was briefly interviewed as a lead-up to Alex Vita's recent SEO and Website User Experience Masterclass. The reason is that Alex built her website, which she says has been life-changing for her business.

I also said in that introduction that if you were to visit her website, I'm confident that you would love, love, love to have her portfolio as your own. The images are fantastic, and the subject matter and locations are just so varied.

This is a photographer who appears to be living her best life. She is leaving a trail of gorgeous imagery like breadcrumbs, revealing snippets of what she's seen, where she's been, and who she's met.

From Europe and the Middle East to the USA, Asia and Africa, war-torn cities, landscape vistas, and intimate portraits—there isn't much missing from this incredible portfolio.

In this interview, Claire shares how to survive and thrive as a freelance documentary, editorial, and fine art photographer.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

A child receives emergency treatment for head trauma and other injuries at a makeshift field clinic set up inside an abandoned store on the edge of Mosul's Old City, Iraq, on July 2, 2017.
As the fighting continued to liberate the remaining pocket of ISIS-held territory in Mosul, civilians who had been held hostage inside the Old City risked their lives to escape the fighting under heavy ISIS sniper fire. Medics from international medical organisations Global Response Management and Academy of Emergency Medicine, together with Iraqi forces medics, worked around the clock to treat injured civilians, many of whom showed signs of severe malnutrition after enduring months without enough food, water and fuel.

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

There's no real roadmap, I think, to success as a photojournalist. It's hard, and everybody has their own way of making it happen. It was a struggle, continues to be a struggle. But I just love storytelling, and it's such a privilege to meet people and have the opportunity to be able to try and share their stories. – Claire Thomas

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

I just love these connections, you know, whether or not I make money, I don't care about that, but it does mean a lot to me to get the stories published. – Claire Thomas

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours – to build a more successful photography business.

Twelve-year-old Arkalak trains his eagle in the Altai mountains of western Mongolia. In keeping with Kazakh tradition, Arkalak followed in his father's footsteps and began training his own eagle at the age of ten. October 2019.

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Claire shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

As a freelancer, it's quite tricky to make ends meet. You've got to be doing a lot of stories to make ends meet. There's more money with NGOs, UN agencies—this supplements the income. – Claire Thomas

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Claire or want to say thank you for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

When I have an article in The New York Times, for example, it draws people to my website, and then I'll have a surge in print sales. – Claire Thomas

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

Since I've had this website, thanks to Alex, it's just given me a way to showcase my work in a way that brings me a lot of joy, which I didn't have before. – Claire Thomas

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

During this FREE advertising and conversion training, you'll learn:

To register and get more details, head to: https://learn.photobizx.com/advertise-like-a-mofo/

A camel yawns in front of the Pyramids at Giza, Cairo, April 2015.

Claire Thomas Website

Claire Thomas on Facebook

Claire Thomas on Instagram

Claire's original and short interview with Andrew on YouTube

Picto NY

Episode 108: Alex Vita – How To Build A Photography Website That Converts Visitors To Clients

Episode 268: Alex Vita – Everything you need for a successful photography website

A cowboy rides a horse in front of the Grand Teton mountain range in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Thanks for listening, and a massive thank you to Claire Thomas for sharing her incredible journey and insights into building a photography career fueled by passion and purpose. Claire’s honest approach to balancing creativity with business strategy and diversified income streams will hopefully encourage you to stay resilient and chase your photographic dreams.

My prints range from the limited edition ones. The open editions are smaller, but the limited edition starts at 16 by 24 inches. And this I have is a limited edition of 50. So I've found those to be quite, quite popular, because it's quite a manageable size. I sell those for $1,250 for the initial set. – Claire Thomas

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon

Claire fitted out in combat gear while working to cover another conflict.

The post 595: Claire Thomas – Chasing stories and an income as a documentary and fine art photographer appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area 

Heidi Thompson of  www.evolveyourweddingbusiness.com is a wedding business coach, marketing strategist and best-selling author.

She was last featured on the podcast for episode 218, where she shared how you can clone your best photography clients.

She believes that too many photographers get into photography for some kind of freedom—freedom from working for a boss, working the 9-5, basically, having the freedom to spend their time the way they want to. In many cases, however, photographers work harder than they would in a regular job as an employee.

Her job is to help you reclaim your time, escape burnout and love your business.

On her website, she says to think of her as your tough-love business bestie who will call you out on your B.S. and give it to you straight because she truly wants the best for you.

Before teaching marketing to wedding professionals, she marketed a lot of things, including poo! Yes, human poo for a company that specialises in fecal transplants. She says if she can market poo, she can certainly help you market your photography!

In this episode, Heidi shares why your photography marketing might be failing and how to fix it.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

I'm all for experimenting and trying new things and seeing what you can make work. But what I always tell my clients is you need to limit yourself to one experiment at a time, because if you don't, you really can't give it your all. You're gonna kind of half ass it, and then you never know, are the results you're getting from that, because you didn't really go all out with it, or is it actually not a good fit for your business. – Heidi Thompson

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

Most people don't have time, and that's a huge, huge problem, because if you don't have time to market your business, you're probably not going to get a whole lot of business, so we have to make the time for that. And the first thing I have people do is actually audit where they're spending their time. – Heidi Thompson

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours – to build a more successful photography business.

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Heidi shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

I love giving people permission to quit stuff. We all spend time on things we feel maybe a good idea in the moment. Or we read or hear something, and we were like, ‘Oh, I'm going to try that.' And I am all for trying new things, but you have to make sure it makes sense, and make sure there's room. – Heidi Thompson

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Heidi or want to say thank you for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

The only solution to you making more money is not raising prices. I'm not saying don't do it, but it's not the only lever you can pull. – Heidi Thompson

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

If you don't have time for the people you care about though, you don't have time for the things you enjoy doing, you tell yourself you don't have time for yourself, especially any hobbies, activities you like doing working out, like actually using your body so you can take care of yourself. And the worst one is, I don't have time to sleep, because that is such an unacceptable statement to me. Like, no, no, no, no, no, no. Sleep comes first, always. Everything else has to fit in around that if you are sacrificing your sleep and everything else that you started this business for, you are probably headed right into burnout. – Heidi Thompson

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

There's a big sale on everything PhotoBizX this week!

Details here: https://photobizx.com/blackfriday

IF YOU ARE ON THE $20 PER MONTH PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP, THE 12-MONTH OPTION IS A NO-BRAINER…

12-Month Premium Membership — 40% off — $120

Sign up for the 12-month option and cancel your $20 payments (or let me know, and I'll cancel for you).

Note: If you paid your monthly membership in November, let me know, and I'll get that refunded for you, too.

Specials are available from now until Tuesday 3rd December.

Here's the link again: https://photobizx.com/blackfriday

IMPORTANT: No matter what you purchase, if you feel something isn't a good fit, let me know, and I'll happily refund you. Or feel free to ask if you're unsure about something.

During this FREE advertising and conversion training, you'll learn:

To register and get more details, head to: https://learn.photobizx.com/advertise-like-a-mofo/

Evolve Your Wedding Business

The Machete Method to Slashing Your Way Through Overwhelm

Evolve Your Wedding Business Podcast

Evolve Your Wedding Business on Facebook

Evolve Your Wedding Business on Instagram

I think, especially with SEO and anything marketing, I don't advise you to hire anybody until you have enough of an understanding to know if you're getting scammed. – Heidi Thompson

Toggl

Episode 218: Heidi Thompson – How To Clone Your Best Photography Clients

Episode 335: Devin Robinson – Utilising Instagram to grow your photography business in a way I never considered

Episode 053: Fer Juaristi – Success and Happiness as a Wedding Photographer

Thanks for tuning in, and a huge thank you to Heidi for sharing her insights on reclaiming your time, escaping burnout, and building a photography business you truly love. Her no-nonsense approach to marketing, tips on forging strong referral relationships, and advice on staying focused on strategies that truly grow your business were all first-class. Heidi’s tough-love approach to her clients will hopefully push you to think smarter, work more effectively, and build a brand that aligns with the freedom you wanted when starting out.

People pay more to have something that's different and unique. – Heidi Thompson

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon

The post 594: Heidi Thompson – Why Your Photography Marketing Might Be Failing & How to Fix It appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area 

James Christianson and Otto Schulze of www.jamesandschulze.com and www.sagejourney.co are wedding photographers servicing the ultra-luxury wedding photography market.

They joined forces around 7 years ago after each running individual wedding photography businesses for close to 15 years.

I've heard them say they are still competing with each other, and the only difference is that today, they share a bank account.

They both believe that moving into the premium and luxury space can be a game-changer for any photography business owner.

In this candid interview, you'll hear two self-proclaimed ordinary guys and dads who created an extraordinary business that has been named one of the top 50 photographers in the world by Harper's Bazaar and featured numerous times by Vogue.

To me, ordinary sounds unbelievable when these guys have Photographed the weddings of fashion icon Ralph Lauren’s family and operate in the high-flying circles most of us will only ever dream about.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

We realised early on, if we want this new brand to take off, we have to hold and say, ‘No, you can't do that,' because otherwise we'll just repeat that cycle for year in and year out. If you hold, the audience takes the message, and so eventually they completely change their minds. – Otto Schulze

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

We always say, a successful call is one where we have talked very little. We don't go with a pitch. – James Christianson

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours – to build a more successful photography business.

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what James and Otto shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

Information is not alluring. So we don't give information. You just show enough to create the hook, and that's that. But it's different with different markets. The ultra luxury buyers' buying psychology, how they buy and how we buy, is not the same as every other market and we understand that. – Otto Schulze

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask James and Otto or want to say thank you for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

In the beginning it is a hard thing to say, like you almost apologetically, say, “Oh, we charge $30,000,” or whatever it might be, and you just have to say it over and over and over again. Like, say it to my spouse, say it to Otto a bunch of times. Say it to my friends, say it out loud until you believe it. Because if you don't believe it, you can't sell it. – James Christianson

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

Both of us, individually, were already shooting, charging $12,000 to $18,000 on our own. So, we had to at least double. And then at double, we were like, okay, that that's not really the goal. The goal is to elevate to go after even bigger. – James Christianson

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

There's a big sale on everything PhotoBizX this week!

Details here: https://photobizx.com/blackfriday

IF YOU ARE ON THE $20 PER MONTH PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP, THE 12-MONTH OPTION IS A NO-BRAINER…

12-Month Premium Membership — 40% off — $120

Sign up for the 12-month option and cancel your $20 payments (or let me know, and I'll cancel for you).

Note: If you paid your monthly membership in November, let me know, and I'll get that refunded for you, too.

Specials are available from now until Tuesday 3rd December.

Here's the link again: https://photobizx.com/blackfriday

IMPORTANT: No matter what you purchase, if you feel something isn't a good fit, let me know, and I'll happily refund you. Or feel free to ask if you're unsure about something.

James and Schulze Website

James and Schulze on Instagram

Sage Journey

Michelle Rago – full-service boutique planning firm

I honestly think that's the biggest driver of success with them, is just the humility to keep coming, understanding that I'm not the most important thing in their lives. So when I reach out, they're not going, ‘Oh my gosh. It's Otto from James and Schulze.' They're busy, and so I'll just keep coming politely, not annoyingly. – Otto Schulze

TPX11: Bradley Hanson – Get Inspired and Stay True to Your Photographic Vision

Aid Brad Hanson's Rehabilitation Journey

Thanks for tuning in, and a big thank you to James and Otto for sharing their journey and how to break into the super luxury wedding photography market. It was inspiring to hear about their approach to building a luxury photography brand, staying confident in their pricing, forging meaningful relationships with planners, and empowering all of us to think bigger.

You don't create value by giving stuff away. – Otto Schulze

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon

The post 593: James and Schulze – How to break into the ultra-luxury wedding photography market appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area 

Amy Donovan of www.amydonovanphoto.com and www.amydonovanboudoir.com was someone I was looking forward to recording with, following an email exchange, seeing both her websites and multiple social media accounts.

For example…

I love that her two websites are basically one-page websites, just like those promoted and shared by photography business coach Jeff Brown in his recent podcast interview.

And Amy tells me her websites have been performing well. Between them and Facebook ads, she says she has been lucky to stay busy for many years.

Amy focuses on two separate genres—boudoir and weddings—depending on the season. Her annual revenue ranges from $150,000 to $180,000.

In that email exchange, I asked Amy what she hoped to cover in this interview, and she said…

I’m not looking to promote my photography business through interviews. My current focus is sharing why I do what I do. I've been noticing an epidemic of our culture using photography to diminish women's value. This isn't philosophical talk or a fancy public speaking point. I see the negative impact every day in my work.

My reply was an enthusiastic… I’m all in for a discussion on this topic.

However, as a business-focused podcast, we will be keen to hear about Amy, her photography business, and how these topics tie into her marketing, ads, referrals, etc.

She was all in, and here we are, talking about weddings to boudoir and how Amy's minimalist approach has led to $180k photography business.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

Hearing somebody say, ‘You look great.' ‘You're doing a good job.' ‘You have good posture.' ‘You have nice eyes.' Whatever it is, hearing a good thing about yourself instantly changes the way that you feel about yourself, and it instantly disarms you, and it makes you breathe easier and your shoulders come down. – Amy Donovan

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

Most of my clients who would book through Instagram will tell me, when they show up through their session, that they have followed me for years. So none of that is like instantaneous. – Amy Donovan

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours – to build a more successful photography business.

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Amy shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

I honestly think the building relationships is the most successful part of my business. That's where most of my clients come from, that they just know me and will message me… and I can honestly say most of my wedding customers and nearly all of my boudoir clients, we end up being friends by the end. – Amy Donovan

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Amy or want to say thank you for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

What I am really good at is developing relationships. Instagram is all about being pretty, you've got one second for people to like what you've posted, and then they click the button, and maybe they're going to like a reel. You find what you want to look at on Instagram. But I think if you're going to build like a community or a relationship with somebody, it's going to be through Facebook. Because you're going to see that person, you're going to see their kids, you're going to see what they're up to. – Amy Donovan

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

That lady's opinion of me does not matter. Clearly, she's living some sort of miserable existence, and maybe she needed a hug, but you put on the shorts, you proceed, you go live your life and don't worry about what anybody else thinks of you. – Amy Donovan

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

Does your website feel more like a digital portfolio than a client magnet? Let’s fix that. Join Alex Vita—web design expert and my trusted go-to for all things online—in this masterclass tailored specifically for photographers. With over 300 photography websites under his belt, Alex knows exactly how to turn your site into a client-attracting, Google-friendly powerhouse.

Whether your current website just needs some TLC or you’re starting from scratch, this masterclass will equip you with everything you need to create a site that’s not just functional—but profitable.

When: November 21st at 8 am (AEDT) Sydney Local Time. Your local time is here.

Why: To learn how to build a killer photography website that makes both visitors & Google happy and gets you results.

Cost: USD$147 — price doubles after the live training is delivered and bonuses disappear.

More details and registration here: https://learn.photobizx.com/photography-website-user-experience-and-seo-registration/

Amy Donovan Website

Amy Donovan Boudoir

Amy Donovan Focused on Instagram

Amy Donovan Photo on Instagram

Amy Donovan Boudoir on Instagram

Amy Donovan on Tiktok

Amy Donovan on Facebook

Episode 585: Michael Cassidy – Navigating AI Restrictions and Building a Luxury Boudoir Photography Business

Jeff Brown Interview on One Page Photography Websites that work

Thanks for tuning in, and a big thank you to Amy Donovan for sharing her journey with us. It was great to hear about her approach to balancing multiple photography genres, keeping things simple, building authentic connections through social media that lead to bookings, and maintaining simplicity in her branding.

Boudoir is exactly where I want to be. A good boudoir client pays more than a wedding, and it fills my cup. – Amy Donovan

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon

The post 592: Amy Donovan – From Weddings to Boudoir: A minimalist approach to a $180k Photography Business appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area 

Aurelie Graillot of www.aureliegraillot.com appeared on my radar after interviewing Steve Tepp from Rights Click, where we talked about all things copyright in episode 583.

After the email introduction, I looked at her website and was blown away! This French-born, American-raised photographer describes herself as a still-life photographer, but I don't feel that description goes far enough.

I would say commercial, advertising, beauty and cosmetics photographer who is an absolute master of photography, light, colour, composition and style.

If you suffer from imposter syndrome as a photographer… do not visit Aurelie's website… her work is truly incredible.

Aurelie’s insights are a goldmine for commercial, advertising, and branding photographers looking to build a sustainable, authentic career. Whether you're just starting out or already established, this interview offers real-world advice on everything from brand-building to adapting to a tech-driven world while balancing creativity, business, and life lessons from this super-talented commercial photographer.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

Low-balling your own rate is not necessarily a good business strategy… You’re devaluing yourself if you bring down your rate just to try to get a job. – Aurelie Graillot

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

You have to ask yourself, in the commercial world, what is the message that my client is trying to send out to the world, and I need to make sure that’s set or shown. – Aurelie Graillot

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours – to build a more successful photography business.

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Aurelie shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

Regarding AI and photography, it's our ideas that we're putting together, and if you can make it work in a really elegant way, then it works. If it looks cheap, that's what cheapens it. – Aurelie Graillot

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Aurelie or want to say thank you for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

Some of it is experimentation. Doing test shoots. You learn a lot that way. You know, if you're trying to accomplish a certain look and feel, then you need to take the time to light in as many different ways, or test out different things. – Aurelie Graillot

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

Everything is based on usage, and every client has a different usage need, so it's all negotiated… You have to navigate the rate world based on what the usage request is. – Aurelie Graillot

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

Here is the latest review…

★★★★★ My favourite photography business podcast!

Via Google Reviews by Carlsbad family photographer HeatherMoreau, in the USA on November 7th, 2024.

This is hands-down my favourite photography business podcast!

Each episode is an incredible resource packed with valuable insights that truly blow me away.

As a small business owner, it makes me feel connected to a larger, inspiring community of professional photographers.

I highly recommend this podcast to any professional photographer—get ready to binge-listen because you won’t be able to get enough. Enjoy!

Are you looking to make your website work better for your business? Join this masterclass with Alex Vita, a web design expert and my go-to for anything web-related, who’s built over 300 photography websites worldwide. He’ll show you how to transform your site into a client-attracting, Google-friendly asset for your business.

Whether you’re updating an existing site or building a new one, this masterclass will give you the tools to create a site you’re proud of — and one that works hard for your business.

When: November 21st at 8 am (AEDT) Sydney Local Time. Your local time is here.

Why: To learn how to build a killer photography website that makes both visitors & Google happy and gets you results.

Cost: USD$147 — price doubles after the live training is delivered and bonuses disappear.

More details and registration here: https://learn.photobizx.com/photography-website-user-experience-and-seo-registration/

Aurelie Graillot Website

Aurelie Graillot on Instagram

Aurelie Graillot on LinkedIn

Creating Magic Through Still Life Photography with Aurélie Graillot via YouTube

Ray Brown Represents Agency

Aurelie Graillot Portfolio on Ray Brown

Episode 583: Steve Tepp – Copyright Essentials for Photographers

Thanks for tuning in, and a huge thank you to Aurelie for sharing her journey with us. Her insights on finding a unique style, building a memorable brand, and adapting to new challenges like AI offer invaluable lessons for photographers at every stage. From overcoming imposter syndrome to balancing a thriving career with family life, Aurelie’s story is a testament to the power of resilience, creativity, and continuous learning in today’s photography world.

It's the young companies that think they can get away with it, or they don't understand that they can get into some pretty big financial trouble if they infringe on copyright. – Aurelie Graillot

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon

The post 591: Aurelie Graillot – Balancing Creativity, Business, and Life: Lessons from a master commercial photographer appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area 

Rick Bettinger of www.gittings.com is part of a photography business that has been operating for over 90 years in the US. They have studio locations in Dallas, Houston and New York.

Plus, they have a separate side to the business, a global photography agency with photographers worldwide working under their banner.

They offer most genres of photography – both for personal and corporate clients.

Check out their About page, and you'll get a sense of the operation's size. They have over 20 staff photos and bios of a well-dressed and presented professional-looking team.

In an article published in the 1980s, the founder of his incredible business, Paul Linwood Gittings, was quoted as saying, “I did sacrifice art for business; I made up my mind to use photography as a business tool.”

There is no denying that his legacy lives on with what looks like an incredible business!

Regarding our guest for today, he is the President and owner of Gittings Portrait Studios in Dallas and Fort Worth. He has a Master of Photography degree and has photographed past US presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, among many, many other notable families in Texas.

In this interview, Rick shares how he has balanced art, business, and innovation in a long-standing, well-respected, and highly profitable photography business.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

Photography is what I love, but I also love the art of business… I don’t think I would just be happy just being a photographer, but I also would not be happy just being the owner and not having that creative outlet. – Rick Bettinger

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

We are professionals and… you should dress like a professional and look like a professional. We want to look better than our clients, or as good as our clients… we are trying to represent a profession where we want people to take us seriously. – Rick Bettinger

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours – to build a more successful photography business.

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Rick shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

I have given up some of the art of photography to be able to make a living at photography. – Rick Bettinger

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Rick or want to say thank you for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

If we're not behind the camera, we're not doing anything. We have to be photographing people. We have to have people in front of our camera. If we aren't getting [leads], then we aren't photographing. If we're not photographing, we're not making money. – Rick Bettinger

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

The easiest customer to get is the repeat…when they come back year after year, it saves so much time and energy. They may not spend as big every year, but when they're coming back every year, it's like an annuity. – Rick Bettinger

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

I've just added an in-depth update to the LinkedIn Course you can access.

Well, to be fair, Jeff supplied all the updated info (he's the LinkedIn expert), and I asked the questions. ????

You'll find the update near the bottom of the course page here: https://photobizx.com/linkedin-for-photographers

Don't forget you need to be logged in to access the training:

Log in at https://photobizx.com (in the footer area), and you can get to the course page a few ways:

 Look under the PREMIUM menu, go to COURSES and click on LinkedIn for Photographers

 Go to https://photobizx.com/your-courses/ to see a list of your courses and links directly to them​

Jeff and I are always here and available to answer any follow-up questions. Email me at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Shoot to the Top Podcast Interview

If you'd like to hear more from me, I was recently interviewed for an episode of the Shoot to the Top Podcast.

We talked about all things photography business, with a focus on commercial, headshot, and personal branding photography — and what successful photographers do to be successful.

In the episode, I share insights from over 600 interviews with photographers—from everyday pros to well-known names like Sue Bryce and Ben Chrisman. I started the podcast 12 years ago to offer the kind of practical, real-world advice you’d get at photography conferences, and I’ve focused on giving photographers useful tips they can apply to their businesses.

We cover some key challenges, like converting leads into clients, structuring your pricing, and improving your lighting skills. You’ll hear examples from guests like Sarah Louise Jackson, who’s refined her pricing to encourage upgrades, and Jeff Brown, who shares a simple LinkedIn strategy for reaching new clients. If you’re looking for straightforward advice on building a successful photography business, this episode is worth a listen.

Here's the link: https://shoottothetop.com/find-great-insights-into-running-a-photography-business-from-photographer-and-podcaster-andrew-hellmich/

Gittings Portraiture Website

Rick Bettinger on Instagram

Rick W. Bettinger, Gittings Master Photographer

Gittings Portraiture on Instagram

Gittings Portraiture on Facebook

Gittings Global

The Gittings People

Thanks for tuning in, and a big thank you to Rick for sharing his journey with Gittings Portrait Studios. His insights on blending creativity with business savvy, maintaining client loyalty, and navigating the industry and technology changes offered valuable lessons for any photographer looking to grow and succeed.

Structure helps you make goals. When it’s slow, do the things that you need to do to be set up for success when you’re busy. – Rick Bettinger

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon

The post 590: Rick Bettinger – How to balance art, business, and innovation in photography appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area

Welcome to part two of a two-part series, where we dive into everything you need to know about buying or leasing a photography studio. Whether you're considering owning a space or working from one, this episode will guide you through the essential considerations before making that big decision of signing a lease and paying rent or taking out a loan to purchase your studio space.

I'm thrilled to have three incredible guests joining us today, all from different genres of photography.

We have Boston boudoir photographer Lindsay Hite of Show Your Spark in the USA. Lindsay started her photography business in 2009, transitioned from weddings to boudoir in 2016, and opened her newly renovated studio in 2019.

Lindsay was featured in Episode 392 of the podcast.

Melbourne dance photographer Leah Hoffman of Hoffa Studios will also join us. Not only is Leah's work incredible, but you need to check out what she shared about marketing from Episode 480 of the podcast. This is one switched-on photography studio operator when it comes to generating highly qualified leads.

And finally, also from the USA, and for the first time on the podcast, we have New Orleans Headshots, personal brand, and commercial photographer Noel Marcantel, who has a street front studio that looks like an incredible place to work — complete with a full-sized cyc wall.

Whether you're a seasoned photographer or just starting to consider your own studio space, this episode is packed with valuable insights from some of the best in the business. Let’s dive in with this photography-studio-special, focussed on buying and leasing advice for photographers.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

I have two shooting spaces…a daylight studio and… the black box studio. I also have what I call my premiere room, which is the converted garage space.. and then I have some temporary little exhibition walls for the dressing room and then my workspace. – Lindsay Hite

We don't have parking here, which is a downside, and they rarely ticket. But when they do ticket, I always tell my clients and my staff, bring the ticket to me and I will pay it. So I like to say that's my parking fee. If I were leasing a garage space, or, you know, had to pay parking space rental in the city, it would be far more expensive than a random ticket here and there. – Lindsay Hite

You have to think of your cost of doing business differently because you have more overhead, especially if you're going to take on staff in addition to your studio space and the build out, so there's less wiggle room, so to speak for that, I have to make a certain minimum per day to stay profitable, and so that helps me enforce my pricing. – Lindsay Hite

I'm a big fan of trying things out, seeing how it works, tweaking from there, so that you can grow as you need to. – Lindsay Hite

Show Your Spark Website

Show Your Spark on Instagram

Lindsay Hite on Instagram

Show Your Spark by Lindsay Hite on Facebook

Episode 392: Lindsay Hite – How to successfully transition to a boudoir photography business

If anything goes wrong, it's the building management's job to blame it on you, and it's their job, even if they accept responsibility, it's their job to delay the process until you get frustrated and fix it yourself. – Noel Marcantel

I'd like to get one more five year lease out of it, because we probably went overboard on the build-out. If anything's worth doing, it's worth overdoing. And we went all out on making the space high end luxurious, great for in person sales, great for video, great for all this kind of stuff. So, you know, we want to get our investments worth by probably another five year lease after this. – Noel Maraentel

You've really had to ask yourself two questions, what do you want to shoot? And what do you want to charge? And what do you want to charge if you want to shoot commercial jobs. If you want to shoot commercial clothing and products, you're going to have a team of people coming in and you probably want a studio for that. If you're only going to be shooting head shots and it's all you want to shoot, you could probably make do with a home space. – Noel Marcantel

If I'm going to be shooting at the level that I want to be in, charging what I want to charge, the prices make more sense to people whenever we're shooting in a space that makes more sense for people. – Noel Marcantel

If you want to charge more, then, when people show up to a built-out studio space with a couch and it looks really nice and everything is very meticulously designed, the price makes more sense to them. – Noel Marcantel

Noel Marcantel Website

Noel Marcantel Photography 3D Space

Noel Marcantel on Instagram

Noel Marcantel on Facebook

I think because I'm stepping into, I call it my dream studio now, I can do whatever I want. So yeah, I'm excited to get in and sort of make it my own. – Leah Hoffman

I'll be installing a cyc wall which works really well for dancers. I know that's something I'll definitely do. I want to use paint textures on the wall, rather than having to digitally add the texture. And that's going to just speed things up. – Leah Hoffman

If you are considering sharing a space with a friend or another photographer, communicate that with them as well. – Leah Hoffman

Leah Hoffman Website

Leah Hoffman on Instagram

Leah Hoffman on Facebook

Episode 480: Leah Hoffman – Clients, sales and incredible images for a successful fine art dance photography business

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

If anyone is thinking about working in shared studio space, find somebody who you can share with, it definitely does cut costs. How we do it was week on, week off, which worked for us. – Leah Hoffman

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours – to build a more successful photography business.

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Lindsay, Noel and Leah shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

We went in with research, because that's the most important thing you can have whenever you go into negotiation, is information. And information that we knew was that the space had been vacant for two years, and the building had just gone up for sale discreetly. – Noel Marcantel

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Lindsay, Noel and Leah or want to say thank you for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

If I were to do it again, to answer your question, if there was something I'd do differently, save up a lot more, have more professionally done, because it would move quicker, and way less stressful. – Lindsay Hite

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

Thank you again for tuning in, and a big thanks to Lindsay, Noel and Leah for sharing their valuable insights on building successful photography studios. From navigating the challenges of moving to a dedicated space to managing hidden costs and adapting to evolving client needs, their experiences offer invaluable guidance for anyone looking to take their studio business to the next level.

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon

The post 589: Photography Studio Special 2 – Buying and leasing advice for photographers looking at studio ownership appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area 

Leigh Woolford runs an Australian childcare centre photography business, also known as a kindy, kindergarten, preschool or high-volume photography business, which is based in Melbourne, Australia.

We were exchanging emails about potential interview guests for the podcast when I learned that he will be presenting at a conference next year on the evolution of his own business—from burnout to building a profitable company.

That led to some back and forth before I asked him for today's interview.

In that email exchange, I mentioned that while visiting his website, it wasn't very clear which areas he was servicing with his kindy photography business.

I loved his reply! He said, “The service area is blank intentionally; we are going to be Australia-wide someday!”

In this interview, Leigh shares the ups and downs of creating and running a profitable high-volume photography business, which included almost giving up and, years later, almost going broke.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

I'm trying to make myself less important in the business and not be the business, and ideally have other people run it for me. – Leigh Woolford

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

It’s incredibly difficult to take that leap. But if you’ve put the work in, and you know the bookings will come, you can make money in the business. – Leigh Woolford

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours – to build a more successful photography business.

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Leigh shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

We changed the name of that pack to the ‘I want it all’ pack, and sales jumped by 15%. – Leigh Woolford

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Leigh or want to say thank you for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

It took me 10 years to come to the point, I need to get other people involved in the business, and I need to let go of some of that responsibility. – Leigh Woolford

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

If parents are seeing great photos of their children, they want to have them. It's that fear of missing out. – Leigh Woolford

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

The Photography Exhibition Masterclass will show you how to fill your calendar with high-value clients by leveraging the power of exhibitions to showcase your work and grow your business.

This course, led by Katie, who has successfully run these exhibitions year after year, provides step-by-step guidance on creating an engaging exhibition that drives bookings, boosts sales, and builds lasting relationships with clients.

In this training, you’ll discover proven marketing strategies, how to design a luxury experience, and practical techniques for turning attendees into loyal clients.

If you’re a photographer looking to elevate your business and attract new clients through a profitable, results-driven exhibition, this course is for you.

All the details are here –>> https://learn.photobizx.com/exhibition-marketing-for-photographers-registration

Where: Zoom (Link provided upon registration)

Why: To book out your calendar with clients who are eager to invest in your work and share their excitement with everyone they know.

Cost: $97 (Price doubles after the live training)

Early bird bonus: $100 off any existing PBX course (valid through 2024).

If you’re ready to transform your photography business with a full calendar of clients who value your work, this exhibition strategy could be your perfect marketing campaign.

All the details are here: https://learn.photobizx.com/exhibition-marketing-for-photographers-registration

Leigh Woolford Website

Leigh Woolford on Instagram

Netlife Photosuite

Team Photo Composite

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber

Episode 479: Hark Nijjar – The incredible business possibilities for high volume sports photography

Thanks for tuning in, and a big thanks to Leigh for sharing his journey in building a successful kindy photography business. His insights into scaling through automation, overcoming challenges, and staying focused on growth provide great lessons for any photographer looking to grow their business.

We started looking at scale, as opposed to growth, to work with the centers that we already had, instead of focusing that time on growing the business. – Leigh Woolford

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon

The post 588: Leigh Woolford – From Burnout to Booming: Building a Profitable Kindy Photography Business appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area

Ryan Erickson of www.fetchphototruck.com is a mobile, come-to-you dog photographer in Denver, Colorado, USA. His mobile pet photography studio was custom-built on a towable trailer where he shoots and does same-day in-person-sales sessions for his dog owner clients.

I'm always looking for terrific guests to feature on the podcast, and I love receiving a recommendation like this one from Pet Photographer and business coach Alex Cearns.

In her email, she says:

Hey Andrew

I have a podcast guest to recommend; he runs Fetch Photo Truck in Denver, Colorado.

He was previously a wedding photographer who wanted to move into pet photography and work for himself.

His truck is a custom trailer that looks incredible inside (and out!).

He hit six figures working solo and is a heck of a nice guy!

Alex.

I went and did some searching and can confirm… his photography is fantastic. The trailer looks terrific, and his clients love him!

In this interview, Ryan shares the ins and out, good and bad of  Fetch Photo Truck, the mobile pet photography business.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

When you're working for somebody else, you're working for somebody else's dream, right? So there's only so much growth that you can realistically kind of expect. – Ryan Erickson

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

Outsource whatever you can. I outsource my editing. I realized early on that I had a vision of what I wanted my photos to be, but, it took me too long to do a not so great a job. So I realized early on, I need to hire somebody else that knows what they're doing and can do this efficiently, and pay them to do it. And that was one of the better decisions that I made early on. – Ryan Erickson

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours – to build a more successful photography business.

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Ryan shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

I wanted people to know exactly what they're getting into because I'm asking them to make a lot of decisions on the spot. I never want people to feel pressured and overwhelmed. The goal is for them to feel fully educated and prepared going into that day, having a good idea already of what they want. – Ryan Erickson

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Ryan or want to say thank you for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

Last October and November were my best months of 2023 and October was a $24,000 month, and I did 18 sessions that month. And November was also an 18 session month. So having 31 on the books for October is big. I'm trying not to get too excited or too overwhelmed. It's part of the joy of having your own business, right? – Ryan Erickson

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

We're a dime-a-dozen as wedding photographers. Everybody and their sister knows a wedding photographer, so it felt really exciting to specialize in something, and say, ‘I'm a dog photographer.' – Ryan Erickson

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

The Photography Exhibition Masterclass will show you how to fill your calendar with high-value clients by leveraging the power of exhibitions to showcase your work and grow your business.

This course, led by Katie, who has successfully run these exhibitions year after year, provides step-by-step guidance on creating an engaging exhibition that drives bookings, boosts sales, and builds lasting relationships with clients.

In this training, you’ll discover proven marketing strategies, how to design a luxury experience, and practical techniques for turning attendees into loyal clients.

This course is for you if you’re a photographer looking to elevate your business and attract new clients through a profitable, results-driven exhibition.

All the details are here –>> https://learn.photobizx.com/exhibition-marketing-for-photographers-registration

Where: Zoom (Link provided upon registration)

Why: To book out your calendar with clients who are eager to invest in your work and share their excitement with everyone they know.

Cost: $97 (Price doubles after the live training)

Early bird bonus: $100 off any other existing PBX course (valid through 2024).

If you’re ready to transform your photography business with a full calendar of clients who value your work, this exhibition strategy could be your perfect marketing campaign.

All the details are here: https://learn.photobizx.com/exhibition-marketing-for-photographers-registration

Fetch Photo Truck Website

Fetch Photo Truck on Instagram

Fetch Photo Truck on Facebook

Episode 524: Alex Cearns – Photography business rules for success and profit

Thanks for tuning in, and a big thanks to Ryan for sharing his journey in creating a successful mobile pet photography business. Ryan’s passion for capturing special moments is clear, from the Fetch Photo Truck idea to working solo. His insights offer great tips on adapting to change, connecting with clients, and providing a unique experience for pet owners.

And I say, ‘Hey, I keep my weekends reserved for market events and also to help maintain my sanity. That's one of the big benefits of being your own boss. That was really important to me. And when I had this idea, I was like, I know what it's like to work on those Saturdays. And if I know, if I make Saturdays available, that's all clients are going to want. People respect that. When you're making a dentist appointment, you don't ask your dentist to come on on Sunday to do your appointment, right? So if this is important to you, if this experience is important to you, you can go in two hours late to work. You can call in, or you can leave two or three hours early kind of thing, if this is, if this is something that's important to you. – Ryan Erickson

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon

The post 587: Ryan Erickson – Fetch Photo Truck – A Mobile Pet Photography Business Wagging its Way to Success appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.